Using social media as a crowbar for your 15 minutes of fame
May 1, 2008 by Colleen Coplick
Filed under Social Media
There’s all these … I hesitate to call them “celebrities” because they’re not, in the traditional definition. But they are famous. We just don’t know why. There really isn’t a word for what these people do for a living.
I’m talking about the Tila Tequilas, the Kim Kardashians and the Perez Hiltons of the world. In fact, Perez Hilton is the only one I can point to and tell you what it is he *does*.
Tila Tequila is a Queen of MySpace, with 1.5 million “friends” and more than 50 million profile views. She started out becoming a force to be reckoned with on MySpace, and then strong armed that into a a tv show, (among many other press, magazine covers and talk show appearances) called A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila. A Shot at Love 2 is airing now. I still can’t figure out what she *does* though. I just know she did it really well using Social Media. Even Time Magazine thought so.
Kim Kardashian is the other one I just don’t get, but that I know is “famous” for something. Being pretty? Being the daughter of rich people? But again, Kardashian is using social media to leverage her “fame” into more than 15 minutes.
She released a sex tape online, which, as of course we know, catapults anyone into stardom. She managed to shove her entire family into an E! television show called Keeping up with the Kardashians. It’s described as “A tempest of siblings, business and fame engulf Olympic decathlete Bruce Jenner and paparazzi fave Kim Kardashian as their huge Hollywood families collide.” I describe it as a trainwreck, but that’s the same thing, right?
The only one that I can point to and say that I at least understand a little bit about what he
does, (but I can’t explain the how) is Perez Hilton. Mario Lavandeira runs the famed PerezHilton celebrity gossip blog.
He’s managed to turn what started out as a little hobby into an A&R (Artists & Repertoire ) position with Warner Brothers records [source: NYT]. He’d be in charge of responsible for scouting and artist development and will act as the link between the artists and the record label.
Perez has also managed to turn his “fame” into a television show, where else but VH1. Called “What Perez Says“, and will be “a fun, fresh way of looking at the wacky world of celebrities and interacting with them!” Ugh, you mean like the kinda dumb TMZ show, only longer? YAY!
I guess my whole point is that there’s lots of different ways people can use social media to leverage their own fifteen minutes of fame, and now I’m to start plotting my own world domination. Hell, if a homely, pink haired dude can do it, why can’t I?
(Image sources: Tila Tequila from The Superficial.com & Perez Hilton from JordanMcAuley.com used under a Creative Commons License)
For Kardashian– it’s primarily the sex tape and being a frenemy of Paris Hilton.. not so friendly any more and becoming the “muse” of a designer. (*whoopee– though she does get free clothes)
Tila Tequila. — it’s the name, the provocative photos and parlaying that by myspace.com marketing strategy into a gazillion friends and then using that to be around others and meeting others and now myspace is involved in tv shows…
well I am sure you get the drift
Perez… he DOES something. But you knew that already.
Just saying what I already know is true and you had surmised..
I guess it is a crowbar in some ways, since these folks have parlayed one form of media (internet) into a breach of a more powerful format (TV). What about people who are just ‘internet famous’? Is that more legitimate? Or are they just worse at monetising their impact? (Or maybe they just don’t care.) I think that there is little inherent value in Tila and Kim except for their visual presence — they don’t have anything to say. Perez is the exception because it’s obviously not his looks he’s getting by on — he’s had a social and cultural impact whether people like it or not, and giving voice to a whole new generation of burgeoning musicians, as well as queer issues.
I have to agree with both of you. Tila and Kim just pose provocatively and go to parties. And get their picture taken.
i just want to get paid for being ME too!!;)
Shouldn’t Loren Feldman be put on this list?